Even for a puppy, Kat Donatello’s black lab, Austin, was hyperactive. After experimenting with natural supplements on her older dog, Brady, Donatello slipped the puppy a special biscuit. “It just kind of took the edge off of him,” she recalled.

The treat contained Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, a chemical compound extracted from the marijuana plant.

The CBD supplements were expensive, and options for pet treats were limited, Donatello said. “So I started spending my winters baking dog biscuits.” She tinkered with the recipe before launching her CBD-laced biscuit company, Austin + Kat, earlier this year.

Along with Therabis and Treatibles, Austin + Kat is one of several Cannabidiol-for-dogs businesses that have popped up in the last two years, a time period during which CBD pet product sales nationwide doubled, according to data kept by cannabis industry analytics firm MJ Freeway. It’s the newest trend in America’s booming half-billion dollar animal supplements market, which is expected to grow by more than US$150 million in the next four years.

CBD is one of over 80 active cannabinoid chemicals in marijuana, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD doesn’t create a euphoric sensation. In other words, these biscuits won’t get your dog high. But there’s some debate as to what effect the compound has on our furry friends and whether they should be consuming it at all.